text:
iPhone 13 mini may launch in September 2021: 5 most anticipated features
HomeGadget Bridge AceiPhone 13 mini may launch in September 2021: 5 most anticipated features
The rumours indicate that the iPhone 13 mini will come with slight improvements. Here are the details.
By Anurag Sharma
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021 is all set to take place on June 7, 2021, where the company will release exciting tools to enable them to create innovative apps. The event will be followed by Apple's annual iPhone event that is expected to bring the most-awaited iPhone 13.
In 2021, the iPhone launch event was deferred due to the COVI9-19 outbreak. This year's event is expected to take place in September 2021. The event will be all-virtual and will introduce the new series of the iPhone consisting of the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 mini. There have been several rumours regarding the iPhone 13 mini after the images were allegedly leaked on the internet.
What are the expected features of the upcoming iPhone 13 mini?
The rumours indicate that the iPhone 13 mini will come with slight improvements in the design as compared to its predecessor. In terms of performance, the smartphone will certainly exhibit next-gen hardware and a next-gen iOS version. The top 5 anticipated features of the iPhone 13 mini are as follows.
The images of the upcoming iPhone 13 were allegedly leaked on the internet. The smartphone may come with a new look at the rear as compared to the current iPhone 12 mini. The rear camera setup is expected to be square in shape te flash located at a higher position as compared to its predecessor. Considering the leaked image that depicts a smartphone in red colour, the iPhone 13 is expected to arrive in stylish colours.
The display size of the iPhone 13 mini is expected to be the same as that of the iPhone 12 mini. Although the screen will be only 5.4-inch wide it may offer a higher refresh rate. This will make it a competitive smartphone for gaming. The company may also include a Face ID and an embedded TouchID.
The iPhone 13 may be powered by the powerful next-gen A15 Bionic processor. Thus, the smartphone will surely deliver higher performance as compared to the current iPhone 12. The device will run the iOS 15 that will be revealed at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021 event.
The iPhone 13 may come with a dual-camera setup as found in iPhone 12. On the other hand, some rumours suggest a triple camera setup as seen in the iPhone 11. However, the leaked images support the former. The two cameras may reside at the diagonally opposite ends of the square located at the rear. Each lens is expected to offer a resolution of 12MP. When compared to the iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 13, may bear larger lenses.
Notch has always been a unique characteristic of an iPhone. The leaked images suggest that the company shall not do away with notch even in the upcoming iPhone 13. However, the thickness of the same will be reduced. This will make the screen a more prominent look.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date with the Gadget Bridge Android App.
Anurag Sharmahttp://www.gadgetbridge.com
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The Annual Report 2014 was published on 22 April 2015.
Eltel published its report for the first quarter 2015 on Tuesday 19 May 2015.
The Annual General Meeting was held on May 19, 2015.
Eltel published its report for the second quarter 2015 on Thursday 20 August 2015.
Eltel published its interim report for the third quarter 2015 on Thursday 19 November 2015.
Roadshow in Stockholm with Carnegie, CEO, CFO and IR.
Roadshow in London with Carnegie, CEO, CFO and IR.


text:
Hatred sparks controversy by receiving AO rating
Rarely has a game every slipped far enough past the mature boundary to receive an Adults Only rating, a rating so strong that it usually sparks a sense of controversy. In the modern age of gaming we've come to see a lot of unsavory things, and some of the mature titles that hit store shelves feature some of the most gruesome displays of violence, adult language, and utter mayhem in the entertainment industry. Series like Gears of War and Resident Evil place gore front and center, with characters dying in horrific ways or scenes involving intense language and action. Over the past decade, gamers have come to see things that were considered downright atrocious half a century ago, and in some respects the world has become a bit desensitized to this kind of flagrant violence. For that reason, it's hard to understand exactly how a game could go so far as to receive the fabled status of Adults Only. In fact, this rating is so socially taboo that it's only been officially tied to a handful of games throughout gaming history, and usually titles that carry this label must be edited down to a mature rating if they hope to release to consoles successfully.
A new contender for this dark and sometimes financially devastating stigma is a title called Hatred, from Polish game development team Destructive Creations. These pathfinders have stated numerous times on their website and to outlets that they believe that the gaming world has become too nice, and politically correct. For this reason they took on the monumentally controversial project of Hatred, a game that takes no prisoners, makes no excuses, and attempts to give the gamer a serious sense of what the developers call "pleasure," while provoking deep thought about the inner machinations of a killers mind. This may mark the first time that a game receives the Adult Only rating, not for its shocking visuals or sexual themes, but rather for the message that it sends and the gameplay mechanics used. The premise of Hatred is simple, and viscerally raw in its delivery. You are a killer, you are an individual who is fed up with the "worms" of the world, and someone who wishes to erase the human scourge from the Earth. It is at its roots a game purely driven by genocide, and it is for this reason that Hatred has received such a powerful rating.
The graphical depictions of violence are not necessarily that over-the-top. When compared to the intense gore factor of the Gears of War series, Hatred's animations probably seem tame. It's close to the same level as Grand Theft Auto, but does contain some pretty gruesome execution style animations at times. Most of the game appears to be played through a top down style camera, which even further diminishes the shock value through violent animations, although there are cutscenes and killings that force the camera into a first-hand movie style view. There is some adult language, and no sexual themes or scenes that we know of. This means that the rating board felt Hatred needed an AO rating purely based on that fact that the game's main goal is mass genocide. You are living the fever dream of a maniacal killer, and that its purely where the story starts and ends.
Even amid the controversy, Hatred is still making its way towards an eventual release in 2015. It was originally featured on Steam, but then pulled soon after it received the dark rating. Although, after a slew of angry gamers contacted the platform Hatred has shown back up on the Steam docket and has even surpassed the Greenlight program. It is important to note that many games who received this particular rating over the years were able to bump the content down to a mature rating through subsequent edits and updates. It is very possible (and likely if developers expect to port it to console) that we will see this AO only rating bumped down to an M sometime in the near future. Perhaps developers will leave the AO package as some kind of special directors cut, but if they want their vision to reach all gamers, they will need to tone down some of their violence and messages.
Tags: Adults Only, AO, Controversy, Hatred, Shooter
Written by Russ Boswell
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer
Eric C. Greyson, Josh Vura-Weis, Josef Michl, Mark A. Ratner
In traditional solar cells one photon absorbed can lead to at most one electron of current. Singlet fission, a process in which one singlet exciton is converted to two triplet excitons, provides a potential improvement by producing two electrons from each photon of sufficient energy. The literature contains several reports of singlet fission in various systems, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. In this paper we examine a two-step mechanism with a charge transfer state intermediate, applicable when the initial excited state is localized. Density matrix theory is used to examine how various molecular properties such as orbital energies and electronic couplings affect singlet fission yield in the regime of fast, coherent electron transfer. Several promising chromophores are discussed and density functional theory is used to predict fission yield for each in the context of this mechanism. Finally, implications for chromophore design are discussed, and future experiments are suggested.
Journal of Physical Chemistry B
https://doi.org/10.1021/jp907392q
10.1021/jp907392q
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Singlet fission Engineering & Materials Science
Dimers Engineering & Materials Science
Excitons Engineering & Materials Science
Chromophores Engineering & Materials Science
electron transfer Physics & Astronomy
fission Physics & Astronomy
dimers Physics & Astronomy
Greyson, E. C., Vura-Weis, J., Michl, J., & Ratner, M. A. (2010). Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 114(45), 14168-14177. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp907392q
Greyson, Eric C. ; Vura-Weis, Josh ; Michl, Josef ; Ratner, Mark A. / Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers : Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer. In: Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 2010 ; Vol. 114, No. 45. pp. 14168-14177.
@article{9f2ff94011864ea2b11a42359147e3a1,
title = "Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer",
abstract = "In traditional solar cells one photon absorbed can lead to at most one electron of current. Singlet fission, a process in which one singlet exciton is converted to two triplet excitons, provides a potential improvement by producing two electrons from each photon of sufficient energy. The literature contains several reports of singlet fission in various systems, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. In this paper we examine a two-step mechanism with a charge transfer state intermediate, applicable when the initial excited state is localized. Density matrix theory is used to examine how various molecular properties such as orbital energies and electronic couplings affect singlet fission yield in the regime of fast, coherent electron transfer. Several promising chromophores are discussed and density functional theory is used to predict fission yield for each in the context of this mechanism. Finally, implications for chromophore design are discussed, and future experiments are suggested.",
author = "Greyson, {Eric C.} and Josh Vura-Weis and Josef Michl and Ratner, {Mark A.}",
doi = "10.1021/jp907392q",
journal = "Journal of Physical Chemistry B Materials",
Greyson, EC, Vura-Weis, J, Michl, J & Ratner, MA 2010, 'Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer', Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 114, no. 45, pp. 14168-14177. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp907392q
Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers : Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer. / Greyson, Eric C.; Vura-Weis, Josh; Michl, Josef; Ratner, Mark A.
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol. 114, No. 45, 08.12.2010, p. 14168-14177.
T1 - Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers
T2 - Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer
AU - Greyson, Eric C.
AU - Vura-Weis, Josh
AU - Michl, Josef
AU - Ratner, Mark A.
N2 - In traditional solar cells one photon absorbed can lead to at most one electron of current. Singlet fission, a process in which one singlet exciton is converted to two triplet excitons, provides a potential improvement by producing two electrons from each photon of sufficient energy. The literature contains several reports of singlet fission in various systems, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. In this paper we examine a two-step mechanism with a charge transfer state intermediate, applicable when the initial excited state is localized. Density matrix theory is used to examine how various molecular properties such as orbital energies and electronic couplings affect singlet fission yield in the regime of fast, coherent electron transfer. Several promising chromophores are discussed and density functional theory is used to predict fission yield for each in the context of this mechanism. Finally, implications for chromophore design are discussed, and future experiments are suggested.
AB - In traditional solar cells one photon absorbed can lead to at most one electron of current. Singlet fission, a process in which one singlet exciton is converted to two triplet excitons, provides a potential improvement by producing two electrons from each photon of sufficient energy. The literature contains several reports of singlet fission in various systems, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. In this paper we examine a two-step mechanism with a charge transfer state intermediate, applicable when the initial excited state is localized. Density matrix theory is used to examine how various molecular properties such as orbital energies and electronic couplings affect singlet fission yield in the regime of fast, coherent electron transfer. Several promising chromophores are discussed and density functional theory is used to predict fission yield for each in the context of this mechanism. Finally, implications for chromophore design are discussed, and future experiments are suggested.
U2 - 10.1021/jp907392q
DO - 10.1021/jp907392q
JO - Journal of Physical Chemistry B Materials
JF - Journal of Physical Chemistry B Materials
Greyson EC, Vura-Weis J, Michl J, Ratner MA. Maximizing singlet fission in organic dimers: Theoretical investigation of triplet yield in the regime of localized excitation and fast coherent electron transfer. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 2010 Dec 8;114(45):14168-14177. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp907392q


Practise and improve your English! Join English conversation classes at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Kingsford.
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No matter where you vacation in a timeshare rental this summer it's always fun to find free things to do, and your vacation in beautiful New England is no exception. New England is known for its natural beauty, historical sights and quaint villages. You might be surprised at what else there is to see in New England - and for free!
While you're vacationing at your Vermont timeshare, stop by the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne. Your little ones aged 12 and under can get in for free, and will love seeing how their fuzzy little friends are created. They'll enjoy the Bear Museum, too.
Vermont also offers a free activity that you can do with your dogs. You'll all enjoy Stephen Huneck's Dog Chapel in St. Johnsbury. Stroll through the chapel, with Fido, of course, and see the original art work by world famous artist Stephen Huneck. Built on Dog Mountain, this little chapel is surrounded by 400 scenic acres of nature trails, and even swimming ponds, especially designed with your dog in mind.
From your Boston timeshare, the adults in your party will enjoy the free tour - and tastings - at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston. You'll hear about the history of Boston's favorite beer and about founder Jim Koch. Another free brewery tour is the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack, N.H. Their easternmost plant in the United States is also home to one of the five stables for the Budweiser Clydesdales. Your youngsters will thrill to up-close and personal encounters with these gentle giants in Clydesdale Hamlet. See New Hampshire timeshares.
Spectacular scenery, both of ocean views and magnificent mansions, is yours when you take the Cliff Walk in historic Newport, R.I. When you stroll along this 3 1/2-mile pathway you'll see the legendary mansions built during Newport's gilded age, and enjoy some nature when you encounter parts of the walk that are a rough trail over the rocky shoreline. See Newport timeshares.
A unique free activity is touring the US Navy Submarine Force Museum and USS Nautilus in Groton, Connecticut. Here you'll be able to peer into a periscope, watch films about submarines, and actually go onboard the USS Nautilus. See Connecticut timeshares.
New England has many beautiful timeshares for rent, and the area is small enough that you'll find it an easy drive from your timeshare to many fun - and even free - activities.


text:
Sigrid Kaag - Credit: Photo: Rijksoverheid
Sigrid Kaag
Friday, 23 February 2018 - 07:45
Dutch govt member to attend Armenian genocide commemoration
A member of the Dutch cabinet will attend the commemoration of the Armenian genocide in Yerevan in April. But that does not mean that the government is making a statement about whether what happened in 1915 was or was not a genocide, Minister Sigrid Kaag of Foreign Affairs said in the Tweede Kamer on Thursday, NOS reports.
According to Kaag, attending the commemoration is only about showing respect "for the terrible events of 1915" in a dignified manner. She compared it to a Minister attending the commemoration of the Netherlands' slavery past. With this, the government is responding to a call from the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.
It is not yet known which cabinet member will travel to Yerevan for the event. The Netherlands has sent lower ranking representatives in the past, such as a member of parliament or an ambassador.
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were murdered in 1915, at the time of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish government insists that this was not a planned genocide, but a war situation. The Turks also say that the Armenians were a danger because they were fighting on the side of the Russian enemy. There are therefore always furious reactions from the Turkish capital of Ankara whenever countries announce recognition of the genocide.
The Kamer also recognized this massacre as a genocide. According to the Kamer, recognizing what happened as a genocide is the first step towards reconciliation. "If we do not remove the sorrow from the past, we will never get to the desired reconciliation Then the conflict between Turkey and Armenia will never disappear", said D66 parliamentarian Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, according to the broadcaster.
The Dutch government will keep referring to "the issue of the Armenian genocide", Kaag said. She pointed out that there is no binding resolution of the UN Security Council, nor a ruling by an international court that calls what happened a genocide. She emphasized that the government wants to be cautious about applying the concept of genocide to the past. "It remains very clear to the government that a large-scale massacre took place", she added.


Sometimes I am super lazy and don't feel like trying on stuff at the store, or sometimes it's so crowded at the changing rooms that you just give up. If you've ever been to a Primark in London you know what I am talking about. I fell in love with the color of this sweater dress the minute I laid my eyes on it. But once I got back to the hotel I couldn't figure for the life of me how to wear it. It looked super weird with tights, it was too short to wear it on its own, so for a while I wore it over skinny jeans. My torso is quite long and I tend to have such problems with shorter dresses (or maybe I am way to self conscious), and especially with dresses with elastic bands in the waist. But now I found the perfect solution and that is wearing it over a vintage slip I borrowed from my mom. It adds a bit more length and it looks a lot more fun. Problem solved!


HICKSVILLE, NY--(Marketwired - Jun 28, 2017) - Long Island Iced Tea Corp. ( NASDAQ : LTEA ) (the "Company"), a growth-oriented company focused on the ready-to-drink ("RTD") segment in the beverage industry, today announced that it has secured placement of its flagship brand Long Island Iced Tea® in 156 Loblaws supermarkets across Canada. Loblaws is one of the largest supermarket chains in Canada and this is the largest international chain account agreement in the history of the Company.
The Company is committed to expanding its distribution across new geographies and announced in September 2016 its first distribution agreement in Canada with Unique Foods. According to Euromonitor, the ready-to-drink tea market in Canada is forecast to expand by 4% annually over the next five years to reach C$626 million in sales by 2020 (Source: Euromonitor International, "RTD Tea in Canada", February 2016). Headquartered in Brampton and founded in 1919, Loblaws has over 2,000 supermarket locations in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited ( TSX : L ), Canada's largest food distributor.
Philip Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, stated, "We first announced our entry into Canada in September, and are very excited with the progress of our expansion into this new market. Loblaws is one of the largest grocery chains in Canada and is the largest international account in the Company's history, demonstrating the momentum that our brand is generating in new markets. Long Island Iced Tea® is a premium iced tea positioned at an affordable price and we are thrilled to be partnering with such a strong chain as Loblaws as we continue to build our presence in Canada."
Long Island Iced Tea® is a RTD tea is available through Loblaws in gallon bottles, with flavors including Lemon, Peach and Mango.
Founded in 1919 when Theodore P. Loblaw and J.M. Cork opened their first Loblaw Groceterias in the area of Toronto, today Loblaws is one of the leaders in the Canadian food retail industry and continues to support innovations in the supermarket industry. Loblaws is a chain with over 2,000 supermarket locations in Canada, with stores in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor. To learn more about Loblaws, visit www.loblaws.ca.
Loblaw Companies Limited ( TSX : L ) is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unitholder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.
Headquartered in Long Island, NY, Long Island Iced Tea Corp. operates in the non-alcohol ready-to-drink segment of the beverage industry. The Company's flagship brand 'The Original Long Island Brand Iced Tea®', together with 'The Original Long Island Brand Lemonade™' are marketed as premium beverages made with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. The company also imports and markets 'ALO Juice®' a functional Aloe Vera based beverage. The Company's portfolio of premium brands sits within the 'better-for-you' category of the beverage industry, and are offered to consumers at an affordable price, reflecting the Company's mission. Its beverages are sold primarily through a network of regional chains and distributors primarily on the East Coast and the Midwest of the United States, as well as Canada and Latin America. The Company's website is www.longislandicedtea.com.


Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a dominant C4 prairie grass that has wide distribution and several genetically distinct ecotypes. Many of the ecotypic adaptations are related to water availability in the native environment. Stomates facilitate photosynthetic gas exchange and regulate water loss from the plant. As such, stomatal size and density represent possible adaptations to conserve water. We hypothesized drought-tolerant ecotypes of big bluestem would have fewer or smaller stomates compared to more mesic ecotypes. Five ecotypes of big bluestem were planted in four common gardens from western Kansas to southern Illinois, USA to determine genetic and environmental influences on stomates. Leaves of all ecotypes of A. gerardii were largely hypostomatous and genetics was a greater influence than environment for stomatal size and density. The drought-tolerant Sand bluestem had larger stomates on abaxial surfaces of leaves, but a lower density compared to most other ecotypes. The most mesic Illinois ecotype and the Kaw cultivar had the greatest density of stomates on abaxial surfaces of leaves. Sand Bluestem had a greater density of stomates on adaxial surfaces of leaves compared to all other ecotypes. Gas exchange measures followed patterns of stomate distribution, where abaxial CO2 uptake rates were greater than adaxial CO2 uptake rates, although differences between leaf surfaces was more pronounced in stomatal density than in CO2 uptake. There were minor differences in size and density of stomates among sites that corresponded with precipitation, although these differences were minor, illustrating the genetic underpinnings of stomates in big bluestem. There is a genetic predisposition for drought-tolerant ecotypes to have fewer stomates, illustrating an evolutionary adaptation to drought tolerance in an important prairie species.


text:
The Home Depot argues data breach lawsuit should be dismissed
Home Depot has asked a federal court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit because a 2014 data breach exposed customer information that "could not have occurred were it not for the banks' own lack of security measures," according to court documents.
Multiple banks have sued Home Depot over financial losses due to the breach, which compromised payment card information from 56 million Home Depot customers.
"…the Banks seek to recover alleged fraud losses incurred by cardholders that could not have occurred were it not for the Banks' own lack of security measures, which resulted in information not stolen from Home Depot being made available to third party criminals (such as PIN numbers)," Home Depot says in a recent court filing.
Home Depot's request for case dismissal is the company's second attempt to get the Atlanta federal court to halt the lawsuit, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
"For their part, the banks in August told the court that their lawsuit against Home Depot should go forward because they 'suffered concrete injuries, traceable to Home Depot,'" the newspaper reports.
The court has divided bank lawsuits from consumer suits in a case that includes more than 50 lawsuits filed against Home Depot in the U.S. and Canada. The company noted in an August report that it has dealt with net expenses of $132 million related to the breach.
"These expenses include costs to investigate the Data Breach; provide identity protection services, including credit monitoring, to impacted customers; increase call center staffing; and pay legal and other professional services, all of which were expensed as incurred," Home Depot's report says.
Source : Hardware Retailing
www.hardwareretailing.com/home-depot-argues-for-bank-responsibility-in-breach-case/
The Home Depot Enhances Credit Options For Pro Customers
The Home Depot Posts 6.1% Rise In Q3 Like-For-Like Sales
The Home Depot Makes Senior Supply Chain & Product Development Appointment
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Hello and welcome to RVC Media LLC, a studio specializing in art direction, motion graphics, video production and graphic design.
I'm Owner/Principal Steve Richey, an award-winning Senior Art Director, veteran videographer and an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Premiere Pro.
Please find below examples of production work, tutorials and experimental projects.


What is another word for willingness?
Consent of will; readiness of mind.
disposition, Desiring, provision, disposal, tendency, wishing, longing, enthusiasm, susceptibility, ability, promptness, ambition, desirability, appetite, diligence, desirous, lending.
readiness, willing, desire, will, commitment.
determination, goodwill, propensity, intention, willpower, receptiveness, predisposition, keenness, availability, intent, volition, inclination, reluctance, readiness, openness, aspiration, desire, will, alacrity, yearning, helpfulness, wanting, dedication, interest, decisiveness, zeal, sincerity, commitment.
disagreement, apathy, denial, reluctance, refusal, aversion, dissension, indifference.
hesitation, halfheartedness, resistance, lukewarmness, reservation, hesitance, indisposition, delay, hesitancy, dilatoriness, Involuntariness, leisureliness, antipathy, equivocation, uncertainty, vacillation, slowness, sluggishness, doubt, disinterestedness, recalcitrance.
As it is on the brain that ideas are impressed, it is necessary that there be both inner and outer calm, that there be serenity of spirit, physical and moral repose, and willingness, so I thought that before everything else I should cultivate in the children confidence, assurance, and some personal pride.
As I showed no willingness to mount behind a man, the sergeant and detail marched me down the road.
readiness, eagerness, openness, zeal, wholeheartedness, forwardness, receptiveness, receptivity.


Many argue that courts do not always prove guilt or innocence, as in many people who are guilty of their crimes are not convicted because there was not enough evidence. The concept of 'beyond a reasonable doubt' is subjective and left up to the standards of the Jurors. In today's society, if a case does not have physical evidence, but strong circumstantial evidence and eyewitness accounts (evidence that was often deemed enough to convict several decades ago), the Jury still may not convict because they eave the idea that their should be some type of physical evidence for the person to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Often times, the idea of true guilt is lost in trying to prove 'beyond a reasonable doubt. ' Another common issue within the Judicial system are plea bargains. The vast majority of criminals never appear before a court of their peers. Often times the state will offer the accused a plea bargain in which the accused will plead guilty without going to court in exchange for a lesser sentence. Frequently, the severity of charges re lessened or dropped in order to Justify the shorter sentence. The purpose of doing this is to save time and money for the state as court proceedings can be very expensive.
The unfortunate aspect to this is that many accused are never found guilty of their entire crime because they are offered a plea bargain in which they except a lesser charge. On the other hand, may innocent people take the plea bargain under duress as they are afraid of going to court and being found guilty of a worse crime. Lastly, while much has been done to lessen the effects of discrimination and rejoice in the Judicial system, Jurors' preconceived ideas based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc still effect many guilty verdicts.
There is a disproportionate number of male blacks who are convicted of their crimes than wealthy Caucasians. In part this is due to race, gender, and the preconceived ideas that follow; but, also because wealthy people are able to arm themselves with a experienced defense team, while those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer are given a public defender. Public defenders are often overloaded with cases and are notoriously poor lawyers. It appears then that many are not receiving a fair trial if much of the decision depends on the skill of the lawyer rather than pure evidence.
While the American Justice system has its flaws, when considering what the American Justice system has been able to accomplish for anyone living in America it is still one of the greatest contributions of the Constitution to modern day society. The issue of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, plea bargains, and discrimination are aspects of the system that can be amended with time; however, considering that this American Justice System.
Further Rests need to be conducted. Background Information Review of the Literature Discussion of Methodology Specific Data Analysis Conclusion 3….


text:
Q: extra ' when writng numerics in excel in python I have the following code that reads some specific values from a file and writes them into an excel sheet. The code does what I want but adds an extra ' before the values extracted from the input file when writing them into an excel sheet.
Here is the code:
from openpyxl import Workbook

wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.active
column_cell_1 = 'A'
ws[column_cell_1+str(1)] = 'formula_size'
column_cell_2 = 'B'
ws[column_cell_2+str(1)] = 'time'

#
counter = 0
file = "nn.txt"
with open(file) as openfile:

    for line in openfile:
       s = line.split()
       for i,j in enumerate(s):
           if j == "total:":
              counter = counter + 1
              print(s[i])
              total_time = s[i+1].split(",")[0]
              print(total_time)
              ws[column_cell_1+str(counter+1)].value = counter
              ws[column_cell_2+str(counter+1)].value = total_time

wb.save("nn.xlsx")

here how the output excel sheet looks like:
As you can see, there is an extra ' before the numeric value.
When I print the numeric value in the terminal, there is no ' before the numbers.
total:
0.5253981399982877
total:
1.5582128490004834
total:
7.660432515001958
total:
73.78555823400347

I would appreciate it if you can help me to avoid this extra ' in the excel sheet.

A: The apostrophe marks the cell as being a string, which is exactly what you have written.  If you want it treated as a number, then use float() to convert the item to a float.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Dan Kanabe grant funding from the state of California provided a safe, durable, concrete stairway connecting lower Lunada Bay to the upper Via Buena/Via Victoria area. Residents now have walking access to schools and our popular median trails. The stairway project was complete in 2012. LBHOA gave community input to the City on the usage of the grant funds, specifically advocating the connection of the Via Buena neighborhood with other area pathways.
LBHOA is studying ways to enrich the beautiful natural habitat of the Aqua Armaga Canyon that runs beside the Via Buena trail. On the opposite side of the canyon, trails connect to the PVP Land Conservancy habitat restoration project at Lunada Canyon. We have two lovely hikes in this area for the community to enjoy!
RE Membership Dues . . .
What is the current annual dues? I can't find it anywhere, even on the membership application. I filled it out months ago and sent it in, but couldn't find the amount due, so haven't sent a check.


Today I'm lost, so what's the cost for all my sick charades?
I ventured off the straight and narrow pathway meant for me.
Time spurns to take me back.
Oh, how had I been led astray by winding pathways black?
But that's not what the Savior said with cross and thorns and such.
and faithfully had paid my debt upon that cross of sin.
but stubbornly I trod my long and winding path... for me.
Life skates along its way.
I'm lonely, very lonely here a-midst my final day.
I've had so many fears.
The darkness falls. 'Forever' calls. My pathway disappears.


text:
Biodiversity, a contraction from biological diversity is a reference to the varied life forms on earth, plants, animals and micro-organisms, their varied genes pools and habitats in the desert, oceans, coral reefs, forests and elsewhere. The health of an ecosystem is usually measured by the variation of life forms it is able to support. The existence of all life form is supported by an intricately interwoven interaction whereby, the biological processes of one provides for and in turn affects the biological processes of others. It is this interaction that promotes and supports the existence of the varied life forms on earth, such that the cycle is severely affected by the absence of the influence of one or more specie or environmental condition. As human society developed, we invented systems and mechanisms to aid our efforts and promote our existence, sometimes these actions and processes are destructive to the environment, scientist began discovering the effects of our actions on the environment and the life forms it supports. As these implications becomes clear non-government and government agencies have stepped in to lobby for change, highlighting the destructions of unique habitats, pollution, overexploitation of particular species, climate change, introduction of foreign species to new habitats which has led to imbalance in the ecosystem and the complete loss of particular plant and animal species. The continued existence and interaction of all life forms in beneficial to man in various ways, both direct and indirect. The presence of a variety of life forms provides an opportunity to conduct researches and gain scientific knowledge which may be beneficial for our survival. Some of the most important advancement in health and medicine has come from studying other life forms. Although we may vary externally, our internal biological processes are quite similar, this is the reasoning the theory of evolution is built on. The presence of different life forms gives us greater chances of withstanding and recovering from any disaster that may befall our ecosystem. The varied life forms that surround us are the source of important resources and materials we need to survive and operate our industries. All our food comes from plant and animal sources; if these life forms were to cease existing man would follow them in a short time. The giant industries that power our economies rely on vital raw materials from these life forms, our civilization and the structure of our society would considerably change with the loss or decline of these raw materials. Their utilizing benefits aside, our environment and the varied life forms it supports has been a source of relaxation, inspiration and comfort for man for many years. The scenery of sites and the behavior of certain animal species has been muse for many artists. Everyone who has ever been in the jungle speaks of the endless peace and tranquility that is present in there, some of the most beautiful sights and sounds are can be found deep, deep in the jungles. Man has so many unanswered questions about existence, from experience knowledge of our nature can only be reliably gotten from other life forms similar to us, who may be at a different stage in evolution, thus rely on and highlight the use of particular organs and processes. Realizing the interconnectedness of all life forms, it is reasonable to say we would never get to completely understand and master our existence on earth without the active influence of other life forms.
Bike Accident Essays Credit Union Essays Do You Think Movies Influence The Behavior Of Teenagers Essays Example Of Short Writing Essay If I Were Invisible Ess Essays Narrative Essays Sometimes Dreams Become A Reality Essays Staining Essays The Importance Of Business Psychol Essays Thoughts Essays Travel Gran Essays Urbanization Ess Essays Vera Wang Essays Womens Educati Essays Write An Essay On Investor Education Is Cri
Essay on the Importance of Biodiversity
Essay On The Importance Of Biodiversity
Biodiversity, a contraction from biological diversity is a reference to the varied life forms on earth, plants, animals and micro-organisms, their varied genes pools and habitats in the desert, oceans, coral reefs, forests and elsewhere.
The health of an ecosystem is usually measured by the variation of life forms it is able to support. The existence of all life form is supported by an intricately interwoven interaction whereby, the biological processes of one provides for and in turn affects the biological processes of others.
It is this interaction that promotes and supports the existence of the varied life forms on earth, such that the cycle is severely affected by the absence of the influence of one or more specie or environmental condition.
As human society developed, we invented systems and mechanisms to aid our efforts and promote our existence, sometimes these actions and processes are destructive to the environment, scientist began discovering the effects of our actions on the environment and the life forms it supports. As these implications becomes clear non-government and government agencies have stepped in to lobby for change, highlighting the destructions of unique habitats, pollution, overexploitation of particular species, climate change, introduction of foreign species to new habitats which has led to imbalance in the ecosystem and the complete loss of particular plant and animal species.
The continued existence and interaction of all life forms in beneficial to man in various ways, both direct and indirect. The presence of a variety of life forms provides an opportunity to conduct researches and gain scientific knowledge which may be beneficial for our survival. Some of the most important advancement in health and medicine has come from studying other life forms. Although we may vary externally, our internal biological processes are quite similar, this is the reasoning the theory of evolution is built on. The presence of different life forms gives us greater chances of withstanding and recovering from any disaster that may befall our ecosystem.
The varied life forms that surround us are the source of important resources and materials we need to survive and operate our industries. All our food comes from plant and animal sources; if these life forms were to cease existing man would follow them in a short time. The giant industries that power our economies rely on vital raw materials from these life forms, our civilization and the structure of our society would considerably change with the loss or decline of these raw materials.
Their utilizing benefits aside, our environment and the varied life forms it supports has been a source of relaxation, inspiration and comfort for man for many years. The scenery of sites and the behavior of certain animal species has been muse for many artists. Everyone who has ever been in the jungle speaks of the endless peace and tranquility that is present in there, some of the most beautiful sights and sounds are can be found deep, deep in the jungles.
Man has so many unanswered questions about existence, from experience knowledge of our nature can only be reliably gotten from other life forms similar to us, who may be at a different stage in evolution, thus rely on and highlight the use of particular organs and processes. Realizing the interconnectedness of all life forms, it is reasonable to say we would never get to completely understand and master our existence on earth without the active influence of other life forms.
Class 16 (College)
Next Biology Essay: Essay On The Importance Of Amino Acid


SCHED is a program for scheduling Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) Observations. It can be used to schedule any observations on antennas that use the VLBA real time control software and to schedule Mark IV/VLBA(4)/S2/Mark5 observations on any stations that can read VEX format schedules. SCHED is the program used to schedule essentially all non-geodetic VLBA projects and has been adopted by the European VLBI Network (EVN) as the standard scheduling program for the EVN. SCHED is also a useful tool for planning observations, both at proposal writing time and before making detailed schedules. The plotting capabilities are especially useful for this.
To use SCHED, one normally creates an input file, using any text editor, that describes the schedule. Then SCHED is run on that file. A number of examples are distributed with SCHED. The usual and recommended way to make a schedule is to copy one of the examples and modify it according to your specific needs. When developing a schedule, it is likely that SCHED will be run several times before everything is to the scheduler's satisfaction. The various output files, especially the summary file and the optional plots, provide a lot of information about the schedule that can be used to help the user with optimization.
SCHED gets a lot of information, including station locations and equipment, source positions, and frequency setups, from a number of catalogs. Most catalogs can be imbedded in the schedule, but it is much more common to use the standard ones provided with the SCHED distribution. An effort has been made to put as much information as possible in the catalogs so that the user only need provide very generic information specific to the particular project. But if the user wants to do something special, it is possible to specify the parameters of an observation in great detail. Documenting all these capabilities partially explains the large size of this manual, most of which is not needed by the average user.
SCHED writes several different types of output files, some of which are useful for the scheduler and some of which are meant for the computers at the antennas. An outline of the files used by SCHED can be found in the section on files.. The summary file is the most important one for the user. It gives the details of the equipment setups at each station and a summary of various items about the individual scans.
The beginning user might start by looking at one or more of the example files to get a sense of what they look like. Then read some of the sections that cover important details, without which it might be difficult to understand what is going on. The section on KEYIN Free Format Input covers the capabilities and limitations of the parser used to read all input files. The section on Input and Output files gives an overview of the information that SCHED requires. The Running SCHED section has instructions on how to start the program. And the Examples section contains 2 examples of SCHED input files and quick descriptions of, and links to, most of the rest provided with the distribution.
After reading the sections recommended above, it would probably be best to use one of the examples to experiment with the program. The examples are complete, working files. In fact, they are all used regularily to test SCHED modifications. They will work as is, and it can be modified to try other features. The easiest way to make a schedule for your project will usually be to select the example that is closest to what you are trying to do and modify it to your needs. It is not strictly necessary to read the rest of the manual. It can be treated as a reference to help answer questions.
The files needed to run SCHED are in various subdirectories under the base directory used for the SCHED installation. That base directory, on unix systems, should be assigned by you or your system administrators to the environment variable SCHED. The key subdirectories are examples, setups, catalogs, doc, src, and bin and can be refered to, on unix systems, using paths such as $SCHED/catalogs. For most the contents are obvious from the names. src contains the code and bin contains the executables, perhaps in architecture dependent subdirectories. The user should work in a private directory and only refer to files in the SCHED standard areas, not modify them. All SCHED output files are written in the current working directory.
There is a lot of information about SCHED and about the process of scheduling VLBI observations in the descriptions of the input parameters and of the parameters for the setup files. There are detailed discussions of some specific areas of concern in the Scheduling Tips Section . This is a section that will be expanded significantly in the future. All of these sections are worth reading through on some slow day for those serious about scheduling.
VLBI projects can also be produced using the NASA Goddard program SKED and VLBA control files can be produced using DRUDG. That is the standard path used by the geodesy community, but is rare among astronomers.
SCHED may be obtained by anonymous ftp from ftp.aoc.nrao.edu under directory pub/sched. For more information, see the section on Installing SCHED. Users are encouraged to obtained the current release of SCHED before attempting to make schedules. The program is continually evolving to support new features and to make it harder to write schedules that won't work. It is in your own best interests to have the current version. For most users, installing a new version should involve little more than copying and unpacking the tar files and copying the executable for their type of machine.
A note on notation: the names of computer programs will be given in SMALL CAPS font, the names of files will appear in slant font, and the names of SCHED and setup file parameters will appear in typewriter font. Some parameters may be abbreviated; where both compulsory and optional characters are displayed, the compulsory ones will be shown in UPPER-CASE TYPEWRITER font and the optional ones shown in lower-case typewriter font.


text:
Grèce antique
 Une olympiade était dans le monde grec une unité de temps constituée par la période de quatre années s'écoulant entre deux Jeux olympiques.

Compétitions sportives et intellectuelles
Le terme olympiades fait principalement référence à une compétition, souvent sportive ou intellectuelle. Le terme est une référence aux Jeux olympiques :

 les Jeux olympiques modernes
 les Olympiades d'échecs
 les Olympiades internationales de sciences :
 Olympiades internationales de mathématiques
 Olympiades internationales de physique
 Olympiades internationales de chimie
 Olympiades internationales d'informatique
 Olympiades internationales de biologie
 Olympiades internationales d'astronomie
 les Olympiades de physique en France
 les Olympiades des métiers

Toponyme

 le quartier des Olympiades dans le  dont chaque immeuble ou équipement porte le nom d'une ville olympique ;
 Olympiades, une station de métro située à proximité de ce site, actuel terminus sud de la ligne 14 du métro de Paris.

Cinéma
 Les Olympiades, un film français réalisé par Jacques Audiard

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I love a beautiful pair of heels, and if I were shorter I'd probably wear them everyday, but lord knows I get enough stares on the subway standing at 5'10 lol. But there's nothing like a pair of comfy kicks that go with everything.
I really wanted a pair of all white sneakers but I didn't want to go for Huaraches or Roshes, knowing a lot of people would have them. So I kept it classic and copped all white Adidas. I paired them with these Forever 21 trousers, playing up the masculinity of sneakers while juxtaposing between casual and dressy.
Despite loving masculine trends, from time to time I like to enhance my femininity as well. Which is where this thrifted hand bag & American Apparel body suit came into play.
For my NYC followers who don't know, there is an American Apparel Factory outlet in soho at 285 Lafayette Street. That's where I got this body suit for $15 I believe, when at the time it was $35 online. They're also having a sale on this bodysuit in particular colors on their website.
What are your favorite pair of sneakers right now?


Opt for an edgy touch to your basics with these ponte leggings with cool lace-up detailing throughout. Features a thick elasticated waist for optimal comfort. 74% Viscose, 24% Polyamide, 2% Elastane. Machine wash.


text:
"StarTalk" Asks the Tough Questions
Andy L. Kubai
Hot on the heels of the immensely popular "Cosmos," Neil deGrasse Tyson continues his quest to make scientific content and philosophical debate accessible to the masses with his new interview show "StarTalk."
Building on the popularity of the eponymous podcast, National Geographic Channel brings science to the late night talk show circuit. "StarTalk" combines the natural wit and curiosity of host deGrasse Tyson with a clever gaggle of co-hosts, and then adds a guest or two and a live audience into the mix, creating an ideal setting for a hearty and heady debate. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? In all seriousness, it's worth a look, though.
DeGrasse-Tyson and his cohorts are witty and erudite in their own right, and thus far, have engaged top-notch minds like Richard Dawkins, Dan Savage, Christopher Nolan, Norman Lear, and ex-Pres Jimmy Carter in discussions about the crucial issues facing science and society in our modern era.
Never afraid to pull punches, the lively chats so far have included the always contentious debate about science and religion with Richard Dawkins, "Star Trek" and it's morality in modern times with George Takei, and the dangers of an uninformed populace in the Information Age with Arianna Huffington. Other topics include the usual suspects such as politics, pop culture, and general science, as well as his guests' lives and backgrounds.
And, unlike many popular debate shows of our era like "Politically Correct," "The Sean Hannity Show," or "Hardball," deGrasse Tyson is genuinely interested in having a real discussion (not just a shouting match) and legitimately tries to maintain an open mind to differing points of view. He also selects intelligent guests who are more in tune to spirited debate than they are in regurgitating talking points.
"StarTalk" also differs from traditional late night talk in that he isn't just on the air to stroke celebrity egos. With a similar motive to his hosting of "Cosmos," deGrasse Tyson takes to the air not just to entertain, but to educate. So, if you're tired of the same old nightly chatter, bring your thinking cap, enter the fray, and prepare for laughs and fun with science and friends. You never know, you might actually learn something.
Related ItemsNational Geographic ChannelNeil deGrasse TysonscienceStarTalkTVTV Shows
Andy L. Kubai @andylkubai
With a Creative Writing degree in one hand and an endless curiosity in the other, Andy dabbles in many creative fields. He's published blog posts, articles, hotel copy, fiction, and poetry professionally. Currently he dwells in Austin, TX, with his brilliant and understanding fiancee, Kim.
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text:
Drug Cartel Suspected In 72 Migrants Deaths Authorities in Mexico are expressing shock at the discovery of a room strewn with the bodies of 58 men and 14 women. A wounded migrant says the victims were killed by a drug gang. The gang, started by former soldiers, is known to extort money from migrants.
Drug Cartel Suspected In 72 Migrants Deaths
August 26, 20104:00 AM ET
Linda Wertheimer
Authorities in Mexico are expressing shock at the discovery of a room strewn with the bodies of 58 men and 14 women. A wounded migrant says the victims were killed by a drug gang. The gang, started by former soldiers, is known to extort money from migrants.
LINDA WERTHEIMER, Host:
Good morning, Jason.
JASON BEAUBIEN: Good morning.
WERTHEIMER: Does anybody know who did this?
BEAUBIEN: It appears that this was done by the Zetas. The one survivor who managed to get away said that they were Zetas. The Zetas are one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico. They're a group that also has branched out into smuggling of migrants. They also have been accused of smuggling oil out of Tamaulipas and selling it across the border, in Texas. And they are the gang that is being accused of doing this.
WERTHEIMER: Do we know why all the migrants were gathered together?
BEAUBIEN: Also, the migrant smugglers often move them in large groups, in trucks and other vehicles. So it isn't uncommon that you'd have a large group of migrants like this bunched together.
WERTHEIMER: But what would be the point of - if the drug cartel itself brought them in, in a truck, say, what would be the point of killing them?
BEAUBIEN: It is unclear exactly why they would kill them. What appears to have happened, and what the one survivor recounted, was that this group of migrants refused to pay ransoms to the Zetas. And the Zetas, the people who were holding them, got angry and killed them all. Obviously, it doesn't seem to make sense that if you kill them all, you're not going to get any ransoms out of them. But that is the initial explanation for why they were killed.
WERTHEIMER: And how did the Mexican authorities respond to this?
BEAUBIEN: They have come out and stated their indignation with this. The Mexican navy, which was - their soldiers were manning the checkpoint when this one survivor came out. They responded quite quickly, sent in helicopters. They attacked this ranch, that's out in a very remote part of Tamaulipas. And after a firefight, that is when they discovered this incredible massacre.
WERTHEIMER: There have been pretty awful things happening in Mexico recently. Do you have any idea why it seems suddenly to be on such a large scale?
BEAUBIEN: The government itself in Mexico said that this is a sign of how desperate the drug cartels are getting, that they're branching out into these other areas. You know, it's unclear whether that is really what's behind this. But it is clear that there is a lot of tension, a lot of violence, and a lot of killing going on in some parts of Mexico and particularly, in Tamaulipas.
WERTHEIMER: Jason, thank you very much.
BEAUBIEN: You're welcome.
WERTHEIMER: We've been talking to Jason Beaubien. He is NPR's Mexico City bureau chief.


You may find that you are one of these people.
I will be happy to help you get started by providing you with helpful information.
Put the power of Chuck Yeager and BHHS Fox & Roach Real Estate to work helping you!
I make it a point to try to become familiar with all the properties in my market area whether they are listed or not. If you would like me to take a few moments to preview your home in case I might know of a potential buyer, please let me know.
The real estate commission earned by a real estate professional on the sale of your property can be a considerable sum of money.
And I know that you'll agree that it's tempting to try and save that commission by selling your property yourself.
So, if you decide to market your own property, I invite you to consider the following 8 steps that you must take in order to save the real estate commission.
Carefully research information regarding the prices and terms of sales in today's real estate market. Investigate recent sale prices for properties similar to yours in your immediate area. Then establish a realistic price for your property based on that information.
Meet with local lenders and determine financing alternatives for your prospective buyers.
Establish an advertising budget. Prepare a contingency advertising budget in case your home does not sell as quickly as you anticipate.
Prepare a plan to reach out-of-town buyers who account for a major portion of home purchasers.
Prepare a "feature/benefit" fact sheet outlining specific features of your home and the corresponding benefits to prospective buyers.
Be available at all times so that you can walk through the property with prospective buyers to answer the questions and offer information about local schools, parks, transportation, shopping, etc.
Make all necessary repairs and improvements before you begin to advertise your property.
Seller's Disclosure Form. In our increasingly litigious society, it is imperative that all known defects be disclosed to the buyer(s).
For the remaining 12 steps, or for advice on the necessary forms needed to sell your home, contact me!
at some time during the process, I would like you to consider the services I can offer you.


Dr. Amy E Whitten, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Beverly Hills, MI, with another office in Royal Oak, MI. She has 13 years of experience. Her specialties include Maternal and Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She speaks English.
The overall average patient rating of Dr. Amy E Whitten is Great. Dr. Amy E Whitten has been rated by 8 patients. From those 8 patients 0 of those left a comment along with their rating. The overall rating for Dr. Amy E Whitten is 4.1 of 5.0 stars.


text:
Robo-signing, the London Whale and Libor Rate-rigging: Are the Largest Banks Too Complex for Their Own Good?
Part 11: Audience Question and Answer II
Housing Insecurity in the Time of COVID-19
What Is a College Degree Really Worth?
Hamilton's Central Bank–Then and Now
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) - Separating Truth from Myths
How Fintech is Transforming Banking
Grading On a Curve: Do First-Gen Grads Fall Flat?
On Governments and Regional Economic Growth
The Balancing Act of International Trade
The Economics of Trade
Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and Central Banks
Staying Ahead of the Yield Curve
A Lost Generation? Young Families after the Great Recession
The Economic Impact of Natural Disasters
Federal Stimulus Spending and the Private Sector
Does College Level the Playing Field?
Is Homeownership Still the American Dream?
Taking the Measure of St. Louis
Choices for China; Consequences for Us
China's Industrial Revolution: Past, Present, Future
Monetary Policy Normalization: What's New? What's Old? How Does It Matter?
Plunging Crude Prices: Impact on U.S. and State Economies
Household Debt in America: A Look across Generations over Time
The St. Louis Fed at 100: Reflections on the "Maverick" Reserve Bank
Bitcoin and Beyond: The Possibilities and the Pitfalls of Virtual Currencies
Louisville's Dialogue with the Fed: A Regional Economic Briefing
Latin American Challenges and Opportunities: Implications for the U.S.
Understanding and Improving the U.S. Payment System
After the Fall: Rebuilding Family Balance Sheets, Rebuilding the Economy
Achieving Long-Run Fiscal Sustainability
Emerging Giants: Perspectives on China and India
Deuda Soberana: Una Tragedia Griega Moderna
Sovereign Debt: A Modern Greek Tragedy
Understanding the Unemployment Picture
Bringing the Federal Deficit Under Control
Lessons Learned from the Financial Crisis
October 1, 2012 | St. Louis Mo.
The panel continues to answer questions from the audience.
Presentation (.pdf)
Part 1: Welcoming Remarks, Julie Stackhouse (4:24)
Part 2: Introduction (5:43)
Part 3: Big Banks Misbehaving: Robo-signing (7:30)
Part 4: Big Banks Misbehaving: Botched Hedging (3:33)
Part 5: Big Banks Misbehaving: Rate-Rigging (7:50)
Part 6: How Did We Get Here: Why Are There Banks, Especially Big Banks, At All? (13:06)
Part 7: Do Big and Complex Banks Create Any Special Problems? (8:45)
Part 8: Internal and External Governance of Large Banks (7:44)
Part 9: Is There A Better Way? (13:23)
Part 10: Audience Question and Answer I (21:37)
Part 11: Audience Question and Answer II (17:22)
Julie Stackhouse: All right, let's see here. Let's go back, white shirt back there.
Q: My question is about the too big to fail. As a regulator, is it easier for your job to regulate seven megabanks or hundreds or thousands of $30 billion banks?
William Emmons: Steve, that's yours.
Julie Stackhouse: I think you have the megabanks, I have the little banks.
Steven Manzari: Okay. So I think the megabanks are more complicated, obviously. And I'll give you a couple of reasons why I think that. And then I think the whole point of Bill's talk was that there is right now an active debate about the question of what's sort of the social good of a large bank. A few things in my mind that make it more difficult to regulate. First, the range of different regulators that are involved in the supervision of the institution. So a firm, every jurisdiction has some sort of prudential supervisory agency. So a firm that does business in the United States does business in the U.K., Europe, Asia, there's going to be a range of different entities in the supervision of that firm. That puts a big premium on collaboration and communication with those different agencies. Second, there's not a uniform set of rules across all those entities.
So one thing that has happened in the United States is that a nationally chartered bank faces a uniform set of rules in the United States, and you don't have state-to-state differences. You still have that on a global scale because there is no unified regulatory framework for all firms. The BIS in terms of the capital regime, Bill mentioned Basel III, there is obviously a large effort to harmonize capital standards, liquidity standards, but still you get very different rules in different regimes. So things like that make supervising a large institution difficult. And then obviously to the extent that these large institutions are complex, and it's hard to say they're not since that's actually the very title of the function I run—complex, financial institutions function—their complexity alone creates relationships inside the firm that sometimes only are apparent after a problem manifests itself.
Julie Stackhouse: So, Steve, just to give our audience a sense of scale, how many employees do you have sitting in an organization like JPMorgan Chase?
Steve Manzari: All right, so let me take a step back for that for a second. I think I could actually answer this a couple ways. In the Second District of the Federal Reserve System, if I ask my team these questions, how many people in total work for the institutions that we supervise? So, you know, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, you just add them up, and it's got to be close to a million and a half employees. The supervisory function in New York that supervises the institutions has about 750 people in total, and that resolves down to a number of professionals aligned in the supervision of these firms, probably about 450. So anyone who wants to know what an unfair fight looks like, that's an unfair fight. And I didn't include the range of investment bankers, lawyers and external accounting firms that help these folks out.
Now, you may ask yourself why does this work, why can it work? Well, first it was frankly policy development. If we promote sound standards and practices at these firms, then what happens is these firms take them into their internal control platforms—their internal audit, their compliance, their risk management platforms—and they implement those. So that's a little bit of how we do this. A typical firm like JPMorgan Chase or Citigroup, the team of folks that I have at one of those institutions would be anywhere from 30 to 40 people.
Julie Stackhouse: So I'll just really quickly hit the small bank side. The small bank regulatory regime has been in place for a long, long time. And we also have a really well-honed mechanism for these banks to fail. Since the financial crisis, over 400 small banking organizations have failed. So in that way, while the supervisory process is easier, they're less complex, there's also a very clear resolution mechanism. For those of you that remember, our last failure two or three weeks ago was Truman Bank, and it hit the papers for exactly one day. And I think it's pretty much forgotten about because that's how well it worked. The depositors became customers of Simmons Bank the next day and life went on. We're not there yet with the large institutions. But presumably Dodd Frank sets up a mechanism to help move us there if it works. Okay, more questions. Let's see here. I've got one. I see him point there. Okay, yeah, in back.
Q: Thank you. A couple years ago I read a book called, "The Creature from Jekyll Island." Is the board familiar with this book?
William Emmons: That's about the founding of the Federal Reserve?
Q: Yes.
William Emmons: Apparently, yeah.
Q: I'm going to simplify this. But it's my understanding that the Federal Reserve is not a government agency, it's not part of the government. It was set up by the banks in 1910 to take care of themselves profit wise. Now the Federal Reserve looks over the banks and the banks that set up the Federal Reserve. Am I wrong in assuming that the fox is watching the hen house?
Mary Karr: Well, I work for the Fed, but my answer is yes, you are wrong. The Federal Reserve is a complicated entity, and it is a creature of compromise, sort of like our federal government is. And the federal in Federal Reserve is really like we talk about the United States as being a federal government in which there is a federal entity in Washington and states. In the Fed, the equivalent of that is the Board of Governors which is an independent agency which is headquartered in Washington, DC, and is an agency like the Securities and Exchange Commission and other independent agencies. And then there are 12 Reserve Banks around the country who were set up in 1913. And, yes, the banks did play a key role. One of the reasons the banks played a key role in the creation of the Fed is that there was a banking panic, and you're probably better equipped to speak on that than I am.
William Emmons: 1907.
Mary Karr: In 1907 that really expressed a need for a way to provide liquidity in crises. And it wasn't just the banks who were being hurt. It was the banks' customers. So I think what happened is a grand compromise, a grand bargain. There was tremendous suspicion. And it's interesting to me as a student of history how much of this is still true. There was tremendous suspicion of Wall Street, of government in Washington, and the Main Street part of the world. And so the compromise in 1913 was, let's create a central banking structure for this country that has an independent agency in Washington, has a big bank on Wall Street, has the New York Fed, but has 11 other banks around the country. And those banks do have input from bankers, but we are not controlled by bankers. Our governance here—I'm secretary to the board of directors—we have nine directors who serve on our board, three of them are chosen by the Board of Governors in Washington—that's the independent agency part—based on recommendations, six of them are elected by bankers, but of those six, three of them may not be bankers, may not be employed by a bank, may not be a director of a bank. So they are local community people who are elected. All of them look at themselves as serving an important function which is governance of this bank, which is a corporation, and providing economic input about the banking and business conditions and consumer conditions in the district. So, you know, I look at it and I think it was a grand compromise. And when I look at what's happening now with suspicion of Wall Street, suspicion of Washington, concern on Main Street, that all still is there. So in a lot of ways I think it kind of works in our political system.
Julie Stackhouse: So just curious. Just a quick hand poll. Please be honest. Don't raise your hand because I asked you to. But we certainly could do a session on, What is the Federal Reserve? It's an odd creature. If we did a session like this on the Federal Reserve, how many would be interested? Okay. Marcela, wherever you are? I think you'll find it fascinating, and it's a question we get often. And just to let you know, I'm sure Steve would say the same thing, I don't have any reporting responsibility to the bankers on our board of directors. And, in fact, I'd say there's more than a few bankers who would say they would like the regulators to be a little bit kinder. Any bankers out here that want to...? Oh, no bankers? Oh, one, okay. Would you like your regulator to be kinder and gentler? You're not sure how to answer that. That's okay, I won't do it.
Q: I'm not allowed to answer it.
Julie Stackhouse: Yeah, you're not allowed to answer it.
Q: ...is one of the better regulators that we have. It would be a lot nicer if the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency dealt with banks the way the Fed does.
Julie Stackhouse: Well, gosh, and I didn't even put that out there. So thank you, I appreciate that.
Mary Karr: But just to clarify. You don't mean by that that we're lax...
Q: No.
Mary Karr: ...you mean by that that we're clear in what our expectations are?
Q: ...reasonable and professional as opposed to being more driven by politics and the press. The OCC and the FDIC are highly political animals.
Julie Stackhouse: So we'll pick up on that. That's a great point. One of the things that's clear, if a regulator wants to be over zealous, we can really cut down credit in the economy because you just have to go in there and be very hard-nosed. So we walk this line of wanting to ensure good provisioning of credit to the economy but realizing that we have a responsibility to you, the taxpayer. So hopefully we walk that line well. I know you wanted to ask a question. I'm going to take that as the last question and invite everyone else that still had questions to come up and visit with our panelists after we close the session officially.
Q: This is actually going to be short and easy. On governance, one of the factors in running a company that controls what they do is its major investors, the institutional and the major stockholders. Do you see a role—and I've been reading more and more in the papers about how these guys are starting to wake up and become more active—do you see any role here in effecting especially the size, disposition and perhaps the dissolution of these large financial institutions?
William Emmons: Well, the two points that I tried to make were that the small shareholder—institutional or retail—absolutely is exerting discipline through selling their stock if they're not satisfied. But there are restrictions for large shareholders. So if you obtain control of a bank, you must become a bank holding company. And maybe I didn't make that clear. So I'm saying that the...
Q: A pension fund can't put somebody on a board of directors of...
William Emmons: A pension fund cannot have a large share in a bank or they will become a bank holding company.
Q: But couldn't they have enough stock and influence to put a director on there that would be more inclined to go along with their desire to have to do governance?
William Emmons: Yes, they could, right. And private equity, for example, has been able to put a small number of directors, but I don't think it's enough...
Q: So nothing big happening in there? That's what I was really asking.
Mary Karr: It's hard. It's hard because of the regulatory structure. We have this thing called the Bank Holding Company Act and we have this concept of control. And control can start with as little as a 5 to 10 percent ownership, we start getting in determinations of who's in control. So unlike, I don't know—And if you act with a group of investors, then we'll look at all of you as being a controlled group. So on the one hand we want to know who's running the banks and we want to make sure that they're regulated as bank holding companies. That puts more of an onus I think on supervision than on investment discipline. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be pointing at you.
Julie Stackhouse: Economist points to the regulator.
Steven Manzari: My view is it's my belief that actually controlling interest in most large, publicly traded firms is very rare, that, in fact, with relatively small accumulation of holdings in an institution you become an influential shareholder, a voice that the board wants to listen to. With respect to where the financial system is going, I think one thing that's absolutely—is this the last question?
Julie Stackhouse: This is the last—well, unless they come afterwards and ask you a question.
Steven Manzari: My view would be, I think it's really important to realize this is early days in terms of the reform efforts for the financial system that, you know, many firms still have to navigate a pretty complex set of changes to the regulatory landscape to how the world is unfolding, how they're going to generate profits. So it's not clear to me that we should even expect at this point in time firms to say, here's my roadmap going forward, or we should believe that the type of governance influence that shareholders can have on firms has yet to play out. I think this is all to come.
Julie Stackhouse: So that's a great way to end. And I will just maybe remark a few things. The Dodd Frank Act which we've referenced here tonight is incredibly complex. You might have heard there are about 400 regulations, rules that are required as a result of the act with about 2/3 of those just issued for what we call public comment, but only about 1/3 of those are actually in place at this point. So the financial community, large banks in particular, those over 50 billion in assets, have a lot ahead of them. They have to understand what the regulators are going to require precisely in terms of the capital framework that's under proposal right now. They are being stress tested, if they're very large, twice a year where we look at what could happen and how they would fair if their capital was hit by an adverse event. Smaller firms 10 billion and over will be stress tested once a year. They have these enhanced prudential standards that Bill mentioned that get into looking at things such as limitations on inner-corporate transactions, require resolution and recovery plans or living wills, to essentially say, if we had to break you up, how would we break you up, and much, much more. And then on top of that, the large firms are going to have to pay a fee for the quality supervision that they get, these very large $50 billion and over firms; although, that rule is not yet written.
So it is too early, I think, to tell how all this will fair out. What we've probably concluded tonight though, is, yes, these are very complex firms. They're very difficult to manage. And even though we have big mistakes in small banks, there's a way to deal with it. The bank fails. In large banks, the Dodd Frank Act is right now the mechanism on the table to deal with these very large firms. The jury is still out on how that rulemaking will take place and how effective it will be. But certainly we have that opportunity in the years ahead to come back and update you on this issue and see how well it's evolving. And hopefully just even the information you received tonight has been helpful in forming some of your opinions. So thank you to our panelists. And if you do have a question, feel free to stop down afterwards. Thank you all for coming tonight.
William Emmons: Thanks so much for coming in, Steve.


A Militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, has lambasted the Nigeria Military for usually claiming ignorance of attacks on oil installations.
A statement on Wednesday, July 20, 2016, Brig.Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, its spokesperson recalled that "first was the NNPC pipeline that was blown, second the 48-inches Exxonmobil pipeline that was blown by NDA".
"Mobil and the Government denied it. Only for Exxonmobil to declare false majeure few days after the attack.
NDA also advised the military to "stop deceiving the general public and their commander in Chief".
"They should come out with the truth in Akwa Ibom instead of saying Niger Delta Avengers didn't blow up any line. Shame on the Nigeria Military".
On the ongoing probe of arms contract, NDA quipped: "How do you explain a military officer having a house in choice areas in Nigeria and outside the country? Serving and retired top officers are the richest people in Nigeria.
"How do they get such wealth? Right now, they are using Niger Delta Avengers to fraud the Nigeria government and tax payers of their money".
Warning of more attacks, the statement posted on NDA website added that "Niger Delta Avengers operatives are intact".
"Our intelligent agencies are all intact and our operatives are in high spirit because we are winning the war. Nigeria Navy can't arrest any of our operative until we bring down the economy of this country.
"We are warning NUPENG and PENGASSAN to leave all oil field and terminals in the Niger delta because it will get dirty very soon. Foreigners are to leave too".


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In July 2015, QCASE signed a MOU of Collaboration with the Northwest University of Nationalities (NWUN), China
Introduction to QCASE
On 25 July 2002, a representative group of Chinese scientific and engineering professionals incorporated the Queensland Chinese Association of Scientists and Engineers (QCASE).
The founders of QCASE work in universities, educational institutions, research organisations, high-tech companies and governments in Queensland.
QCASE is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit professional organisation for Chinese scientists and engineers in Queensland. We promote cooperation between Australia and China in science, technology and education.
QCASE memberships
QCASE membership is open to any person or organisation interested in, and supportive of, the Association's objectives.
We welcome people who:
have received a tertiary or equivalent education, and who have established professional careers in science, education, engineering, the arts and/or business
are currently establishing or developing their careers in these professions
are studying to achieve degrees or qualifications in these professions.
QCASE has more than 200 members. These include well-known Queensland academics, scientists and engineers from:
research institutes and organisations
high-tech companies
all levels of government.
Our members provide a wide range of expertise in science, engineering, education, the arts and business.
The Association also confers honorary memberships. Such memberships recognise outstanding contributions to the advancement of science and technology, the arts, business, and our societies and communities, through cooperation between Australia and China.
Objectives of QCASE
Our Association aims to improve the professional lives and careers of our members.
The objectives of the Association are to:
encourage and contribute to advances in science and technology
advocate for exchange and cooperation between Australia and China in science, technology and education
foster and promote friendship and cooperation:
> among Chinese, Australian, and Chinese Australian scientists and engineers
> with other national and international societies
help members and their families integrate into Australian culture and society.
Ian Frazer and Xiaoyi Sun received the 2015 QCASE Award in the Queensland Parliament House
Want to Know More About QCASE?
An Association for Scientists, Engineers and Their Families
QCASE provides our members with:
regular seminars and workshops
organised exchange activities and overseas visits
business development activities
educational training programs for skills such as writing research proposals
recognition for outstanding contributions.
All of our members are invited to volunteer for work with established committees and projects, and to pursue new projects, in accordance with the objectives and rules of the Association under the guidance of the QCASE Council.
Since its establishment, QCASE has hosted and organised many conferences and events to exchange scientific and technological knowledge between China and Australia.
For example, in 2016, QCASE organised the Australia–China Science, Technology, Commercialisation and Innovation Forum. Over 200 people attended the forum, including 12 academicians of the Academy of Science and the Academy of Engineering from both China and Australia. Media outlets such as CCTV-International, Phoenix Television and People's Daily reported on the event.
QCASE members and friends at Professor Max Lu's special lectur, 6 August 2017
Students and researchers at the 2015 workshop for publishing your research in top journals
President: Prof Jing Sun (Griffith University)
Chen Chen (Vice President-UQ)
Yuantong Gu (Vice President-QUT)
Eddie Zhang (Vice President-Griffith)
Xingsheng Li (Vice-President-CSIRO)
Yu Lin Zhong (Secretary-General)


I'm immensely proud to have taken ownership of the company that I've worked for the best part of 27 years, when ACE was founded. It's such an interesting, dynamic and exciting industry to be part of, rarely a dull moment! Whether that is managing the travel through a disaster such as the infamous Ash cloud to more recent challenges such as the changing landscape of air fare distribution.
Whilst I don't profess to be a technology expert – I'm fascinated by the advances and speed that technology has developed in the industry that enhances both the travel booking experience as well as the travelling experience. I'm a believer in the phrase, "people do business with people they like" which makes serving our clients an absolute pleasure, some of whom I've known for almost 30 years. Of course, the greatest pleasure is the honour I have of working with a fabulous team of committed, enthusiastic and passionate people, they truly are ACE!
We've prided ourselves on our services and delivering that personal touch. Travel is an emotive subject, even if it's business, it's still personal – you're still leaving a loved one, missing out on a party maybe or have to get someone to look after the cat! So that's why it's our mission at ACE Travel to make it, all about you!


Low frequency of PDCD10 mutations in a panel of CCM3 probands: potential for a fourth CCM locus.
Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular abnormalities of the brain that can result in a variety of neurological disabilities, including stroke and seizures. Linkage analyses using autosomal dominant families manifesting CCMs have identified three different causative loci on chromosomes 7q21.2 (CCM1), 7p13 (CCM2), and 3q25.2-q27 (CCM3). Mutations in the gene Krit1 are responsible for CCM1, mutations in the gene MGC4607 are responsible for CCM2, and mutations in the gene PDCD10 were recently reported to be responsible for CCM3. We report here that sequence analysis of PDCD10 in a panel of 29 probands lacking Krit1 and MGC4607 mutations revealed only three mutations. The frequency of identified mutations in the PDCD10 gene was surprisingly low, especially given that this panel was heavily biased towards non-CCM1, non-CCM2 probands. These data are in stark contrast with the linkage data, which suggests that 40% of inherited cases would be due to mutations in this gene. Interestingly, when examining the haplotypes of previously published CCM3 families, we found a distinct recombination event in one of the largest CCM3 families that excludes the PDCD10 gene. Although there are many potential explanations for this observation, when combined with the apparent under-representation of causative CCM mutations in PDCD10, this recombination event in a CCM3-linked family suggests that there may be an additional CCM gene in the same chromosomal region.


Joomla! has released version 3.8.2 of its Content Management System (CMS) software to address multiple vulnerabilities. A remote attacker could exploit one of these vulnerabilities to obtain sensitive information.
US-CERT encourages users and administrators to review the Joomla! Security Release and apply the necessary update.


INSPIRED BY RECENT events, I curled up with a good book the other day. I found it fascinating for a couple reasons. One, I hadn't read it in more than a quarter-century. And two, I wrote it.
Well, I say "wrote." This was the scorebook I used when I was covering baseball back in my formative professional years. I found two pages to be particularly interesting — the one that showed Randy Johnson beating Foothill High (3-0 on a two-hitter with 16 strikeouts), and the one that showed him losing to San Ramon (5-4 on a 12-hitter).
Actually, the entire book is something of a hoot — Atlanta at Giants one day, Granada at Amador Valley the next, Angels at A's five days after that. Though the scoresheets include enough detail for a complete forensic re-creation, I'm a little short on actual memories.
Most have to do with a tall, skinny left-handed pitcher from Livermore High School.
I wouldn't have predicted then that Johnson would win 300 major league games. But I don't know that I would have bet against it either. He was so tall. He threw so hard. He was so… unprecedented.
Covering games from just behind the backstop, you became accustomed to the whish-boom! of a pitch smacking into the catcher's mitt. Johnson's whish! came in at a higher pitch. His boom! sounded like small-arms fire.
If I recall correctly, May 1, 1981 was a windy, raw day at the Foothill diamond. It couldn't have been much fun hitting under those conditions. It had to be torture hitting against Johnson, who allowed just one ball (a first-inning single) to leave the infield.
The home plate umpire never turned around. I didn't blame him.
The seventh inning was classic high school fare. Livermore's first three batters reached on errors, and the fourth lined into a triple play. Johnson loaded the bases on two walks and an infield hit in the home half before closing it out with a strikeout and a grounder to second. It didn't seem fair.
By the time I caught up with Johnson again, at San Ramon Valley in April of his senior year, so had about 10 billion scouts. Now you had to fight for position behind the backstop. I remember standing shoulder-to-shoulder with White Sox scout Bart Johnson, who was hefting a speed gun the size of a small microwave oven.
Randy Johnson seemed even taller and more imposing. When he threw, he appeared to be handing the ball to the catcher. But on this day, he struggled, allowing a dozen hits and walking three in six innings.
San Ramon's Steve Britt went 4-for-4 (think he's told many stories lately?), and experienced a uniquely Johnsonesque at-bat in the third inning. Hitting with runners on second and third, Britt squared around for a suicide squeeze bunt. Johnson threw a wild pitch to score the runner.
I remember wondering what those scouts put in their reports. Johnson obviously was raw and untamed. Then again, there was no one else like him — just as there had never been a 6-foot-9 point guard before Magic Johnson, or a left-handed quarterback of consequence before Ken Stabler.
You would have needed more than a speed gun to see the possibility; you would have needed a vision of something the likes of which baseball had never seen. I figured someone would take a chance on him because someone had to, just to see what would happen next.
So far, you'd have to say, so good.


Craig Newitt and Lankan Rupee win the T.J. Smith Stakes during Randwick's The Championships, through going that was then rated "Heavy 9." Photo: Sharon Chapman, Fast Track Photography.
On Dec. 1, Australian racing woke up to a new system of rating its racetracks. Trent Masenhelder explains the new classifications, and how the Australian Racing Board has used them to bring the sport to a newer, younger generation of racing fans.
But there had been a lingering belief in Australia that this system was too complicated, especially when compared with that of other racing jurisdictions. In the U.S., the turf-rating system is much more concise, with tracks rated "firm," "good," "yielding," or "soft," without any numerical additions.
In Great Britain, the system is different again. Clerks of the course use a "going stick" to give an objective numerical reading that will reflect the state of the surface. Courses are rated "heavy," "soft," "good to firm," "good," "firm," or "hard." When an official going-description falls between two ratings [e.g. "good, good to firm in places"], the first and therefore predominant ground description [in this case "good"] is used for statistical purposes.
Australian administrators asked themselves if change was necessary.
The January review sought input from the industry, including the race-going public. Peter McGauran, CEO of the Australian Racing Board (ARB), said: "Track ratings can be a complex and contentious issue at times, and we need to update and streamline the current system whilst not losing its best features." In April 2014, the ARB announced that a new Australia-wide track-rating system would be rolled out on Dec. 1. It was intended that the new classifications would make the language of track ratings easier to understand for the average racing enthusiast.
McGauran said that a positive, clear, and modern system was required for both industry participants and punters, and he believed the amendments were pronounced.
While trainers and jockeys will take only a short time to adjust to the new classifications, one of the major considerations in changing the ratings system was how it would affect the betting industry. Australia has co-mingling pools with a variety of countries around the world, and betting agencies are keen for track-rating consistency to attract punters, both local and foreign.
Melbourne-based Daniel O'Sullivan is a professional punter, and believes the changes won't have a profound influence on how he assesses form. He said the new system is a positive step forward for the Australian industry.
On Dec. 1, the new ratings were carried across all racing media, and many general media outlets, explaining the new system and consigning what was described as "old racecourse terminologies" to the past. In particular, the ARB was out to embrace the newer generation of racing fans.


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Home » Stewart-Haas Racing To Field 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Team
Consumer Tires Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing To Field 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Team
Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), the championship-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, will expand into the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2017.
The organization will field a full-time, single-car team in the XFINITY Series with a driver and sponsor lineup to be announced prior to the conclusion of the 2016 season. The XFINITY Series team will be run from SHR's headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
"In order to maintain the competitiveness that has earned SHR two championships since our debut in 2009, we needed an outlet to develop drivers and team personnel for the Sprint Cup Series," said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. "People make the difference between winning and losing. An XFINITY Series team gives us added depth that will allow us to promote from within whenever necessary."
SHR won its first Sprint Cup championship in 2011 with Tony Stewart and earned its second title in 2014 with Kevin Harvick. Since its inception in 2009, SHR has won 33 point-paying races, two non-point races and 28 poles.
"An XFINITY Series team has always been something we would consider when the time was right, and that time is now," said Stewart, who co-owns SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. "Staying successful in this sport means staying ahead of the curve, and having an XFINITY Series team provides an in-house driver development program and a new channel for personnel to make a positive impact with our race team."
"This is a natural progression of SHR's growth and one that allows us to be more self-sufficient," Haas said. "If you look at all the teams that are successful in Sprint Cup, they have a direct connection to the XFINITY Series where drivers, engineers, mechanics and pit crew members are developed. We're an established team with a strong infrastructure that is ready for this endeavor."
About Stewart-Haas Racing:
Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The team fields four entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series – the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart, the No. 10 Chevrolet for Danica Patrick, the No. 4 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick and the No. 41 Chevrolet for Kurt Busch. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 200,000-square-foot facility with approximately 280 employees. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.StewartHaasRacing.com.


A few weeks ago lovely Ren was christened at St Peter's Church in Leckhampton. I've done a few weddings and baptisms here and I must say, the vicar is one of the friendliest I've had the pleasure to meet. It's so nice when I'm given a free reign to wander down the side passages and up the aisle, which isn't always the case. There have been many times when the vicar has asked I stay at the back. I do understand these services have great religious significance but at the same time it's rather disappointing for the families, who have paid a significant sum of money for me to be there to document the occasion.
Still, I'm pleased to say that on this occasion I had access to all areas and what a lovely service it was. Ren, who just wouldn't sit still, brought a smile to everyone's faces. It was delightful to watch her mooch around the Church, completely oblivious to what was going on. There were some very poignant readings by close family members after which Mum managed to catch little Ren for the all important bit of having the water splashed over her head.
Below is just a small selection of images. As with all my shoots, all pictures are included in the price. This particular family received ninety images, all of which they were very pleased with. Check out my review page to read about their experience with me. Click here.